Riven: Book of Catherine
by Dark Celestial Phoenix
Summary: Catherine, Atrus and two Rivenese are trapped in an age devoid of people but are dying hideous deaths. Please review and I will continue to update every week!
1. Return To Tay

Body Title: Riven: Book of Catherine 

Author: Me! 

Disclaimer: None of characters in this story are mine except Dirna, Aeriel, and T'Dier, Tab'r and Anrid. The world in which this story takes place is also mine. 

Summary: Told in the eyes of Catherine, a dead woman has trapped Catherine, Atrus and a few Rivenese in a another world. Now each are dying out because of stories that the dead one has written. Will Catherine be able to stop it? 

Rating: PG-13 for explicit language and adult situations. 

**Chapter One: Return to Tay**

I stand alone in a dead world, where memory gathers like dust waiting to be swept away. I hear the wind howling in the background. The wind has been here since the beginning of this nightmare; a subtle whisper behind my back or a fierce storm blowing and tearing at my red, wind-dried skin. 

I wish to drop my pen and sleep with hopes that when I awaken, I will find that all of this has been a terrible dream. But I know if I do, then I will be next. For _she_ has made this world and I know that if I am to sleep, then _she_ will come. So, I shall continue to write. But the question is: What to write? For I have but one story to tell. Once I finish it, I shall depart from this world. But it seems that the one story I speak of is my only choice. 

I don't know where to start, but there must be a place. A place before this hellish nightmare of a place. A place of love and joy. A place of hope and happiness. It was _he _who gave me the those things and many more. Yes, I will start with him. 

His name was Atrus. Just Atrus. The D'Ni rarely gave last names and if he had one, he did not know it. Atrus, son of Gehn who was the son of Aitrus. The man who gave his life for his family. Atrus is the last of the D'Ni, a race incredibly far more advanced than my own. 

My name is Katran. The only Rivenese to have escaped from the terrible destruction of Riven into another age beside _Tay_, the age that I created for the Black Moiety. I was dubbed Catherine by Atrus, as he had a hard time pronouncing my name with his D'Ni accent. 

After fleeing from Riven, Atrus and I retreated to Myst. We stayed there for over six months while Atrus began to write us new homes. Our former ones had been destroyed by our sons, Sirrus and Achenar. But they got their comeuppance. They accidentally used Trap Books and were still stuck inside when Atrus burned the books. 

During the first three months, I became homesick for my family and Rivenese friends. I told Atrus of my problem and he suggested I visit Tay for a month. I agreed and packed. Using the Tay Linking Book I had taken from the secret passage behind the old Riven Prison, I linked to Tay. 

I materialized on a small dock. There was no boat, so I turned around to face the cave behind me. The one room was empty save for a statue and four glow-lamps. 

The statue was of a man with palms side by side, face-up and outstretched. A Linking Book back to Riven used to lay there. But as the Riven no longer existed, the book was gone. Instead, a small, bright blue bottom lay within the left palm and a red one lay in the right. 

On each button was a single Rivenese word in minute writing. I leaned closer and read the petite lettering. On the red button was the word Death and on the blue bottom was Call. I had no idea what "Call" meant, but I didn't want to try the red button either. 

After I clicked the Call Button, a loud nasal wailing started from somewhere. I knew that I knew what the sound was, but I couldn't remember what it was. After a moment's thought I recognized it. It was the old Riven alarm for visitor/intruder. 

The wailing stopped after a minute and I heard a voice yell out, "Kakar Kokiri Taga?" in Rivenese._ Who are you?_ I knew the voice, but couldn't put my finger on it. 

I moved out onto the dock. I was quite rusty with Rivenese, Atrus didn't speak it. But I was able to reply with, "Taga suzku Katran!" _ I am Katran!_ I squinted towards the great Tree that was the city and could make out a figure on the dock across the creek.__

__

__"Katran? Kia nos ea Katran!" _Katran? I know of no Katran!_

__

__I tried again, "Katran est goha. Katherinenio tabaca!" _Katran long ago. Catherine now._

"Catherine?" the figure said. 

In an instant I recognized the voice.It was one of my oldest friends. One of the first members of the Moiety: Tab'r. "Tab'r!" I cried out. 

The figure started and said, "Catherine! By the great god Dihilia!" Tab'r disappeared. A second later, I heard a loud humming of machinery and the water in front of me turned solid! That was something new. When I left Tay, they had used boats. Tab'r rushed across the solid water and embraced me. 

"Catherine! It really is you! It has been so long! We feared we might never see you again! Come! You must see the city! We have added so much and made it far more advanced than Village Lake back on dead Riven." 

I almost laughed. Tab'r always was rushing to show off something. I accepted the hand he offered me and we began to walk across the solid water. "Tab'r? What makes this water solid?" 

Tab'r smiled and said, "There is machinery below this strip of water. It reconfigures the water's chemical breakdown until it is like Riven water. But much sturdier!" 

"How does it know the compounds for Rivenese water?" 

"One of the villagers grabbed a bottle of it before fleeing from Tay, wanting a souvenir." 

We had reached the end of strip and were now climbing the stairs carved into the tree's bark. Above me, electric lights hung. That was also new. Before, the Moiety had used oil lamps. Tab'r nodded. 

"All of the old scholars and guilds men helped to make this place better. It seems that Gehn's teaching finally helped to do good rather than destroy and rule. The entire city now has electricity running through it." 

I started. The city was huge. "Where are you getting so much power?" 

"Turbines below the water level and geothermal for back-up." 

The Tay City truly _was _ advanced. I tried to remember the first time I set foot here. It was right after I had finished. The tree had been empty of windows and stairs. There was no dock carved into it. The cave I had written in had been much smaller and completely dark. Now everything was brightly lit and the cave carved to a grander scale with electric components in it-- 

"Catherine? Anyone in there? Hello?" Tab'r voice shook me from my thoughts. 

"Huh?" 

Tab'r sighed impatiently and replied, " I said, do you want to go visit Aeriel?" 

I cried out with happiness. Aeriel was my younger sister and another friend. She was the first I persuaded to join me and fight against Gehn's tyranny. I laughed and shouted, "Yes! It's has been too long since I last saw here!" 

Tab'r smiled and led me to a wooden elevator. The inside was furnished with small paintings of me and Atrus. I smiled at the thought of him. On the other wall was lever and 10 notches. The lever was in the second notch. 

"We're on the second floor?" 

"No, the first. The first notch is the basement where the main mechanisms for the water bridge and city power is located. We're on the shops and schools floor. The third floor is where the guilds meet. The fourth through eighth are all homes. Nine and ten are where places like the storage and other things are kept." Tab'r moved the lever to the sixth notch and we moved up. 


	2. Aeriel

Body

**Chapter Two: Aeriel**

****

After the elevator stopped, I nearly flew out of the still-opening door. I looked around and felt my face go hot as I heard Tab'r chuckling behind. _I had no clue where I was or where to go._

__I said just that to Tab'r and his laughter increased. 

"Little overexcited, are we?" He asked, chortling. 

"Just a little," I replied, covering my burning cheeks and smiling weakly. 

"Its _this_ way." Tab'r said, pointing a rope-bridge on the left. He walked across it and it groaned terribly. I hesitated and Tab'r gestured impatiently and said, "What's wrong now?" 

"Is it, I don't know, _safe_?" I replied, shaking a little. 

"Of course it is. It always groans like that. Just run across and it will be over in a few seconds." Tab'r answered, his sneer mocking me. I ran across the bridge and hurried to his side. He just shook his head and moved forward. 

After crossing four creaking bridges, passing under twelve low branches that no one wanted to cut down ("It adds to the theme and decor...") and being applauded and gawked at every time we passed someone, we finally made it to the small, dark-wood doorway that led into my sister's home. I nervously ran my hands through my raven-black hair and smoothed my blood-red gown. Tab'r smiled at my nervousness and knocked on the door knocker in the shape of the Moiety dagger. 

After no one answered, Tab'r knocked twice more; each time getting the same result. We were just about to leave when... 

"Catherine?!" cried a familiar voice. 

I whipped around and came face to face with my sister. She stared at me as if willing herself to believe I was real and then embraced me tightly. A little too tightly: up to point where she forced the air out of my lungs. 

"N-n-nice to s-s-see you too, Aer-Aer-Aeriel," I managed to choke out. That was apparently her cue to let me go, for she moved at an arm's length to study me. I almost felt as I was staring into my reflection. 

Aeriel had my same dark hair and was about my height. Her eyes were the same shape as mine, but while my eyes were emerald, hers were a midnight blue; almost as dark as velvet. Back in Riven, she had worn simple gray and white kirtles even after joining me and becoming free to wear as she chose. 

Now Aeriel wore a long, arctic blue skirt that stopped just above her ivory sandals. Her blouse was a cobalt blue that heavily contrasted her skirt, but yet brought out her eyes magnificently. Her black hair was loose in great shining waves that reached just below her waist. 

Aeriel smiled and exclaimed, "Oh Catherine! It has been almost four months since I last saw you! I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me!" 

"Never! I would never forget about my own flesh and blood!" I said forcefully. But then for the tiniest of a second, Aeriel's eyes betrayed her and I saw something that looked like disbelief. But then it was gone. Aeriel shook herself. 

"What are we doing out here?" she said, forcing a smile, "Let's go inside. I was just out shopping." For the first time, I notice the basket by her feet, filled to the brim with fruits and other oddities. She pulled a key out of her pocket that was curiously in the shape of circle with small, jagged edges protruding from it's sides. Aeriel put the key into a small groove in the door and turned it. There was a creaking sound and the door swung open. 

I stepped inside. The room was dark. What little light that came through a small, open window was too dim to allow one to see properly. I heard Aeriel fumbling and then with a small click, the entire room was bathed in a deep, golden glow. 

I gasped. The room was beautiful. The wooden and stone walls were painted a bash you in your face red. The floor was completely covered with yellowish rug that was the exact color of the sun at sunrise. The furniture had wooden frames made of hazelnut and the carefully sewn cushions were a deep honeydew yellow. The entire room looked of dawn. 

Aeriel stepped beside me and smiled, "It is nice, isn't it? Took me almost six weeks to find all the proper dyes and paints to make everything just the way I wanted it. Took even longer to get furniture that would look good. It seems that everyone here in Tay is going for blues and greens nowadays. Not too many people like gold and red. But hey, wasn't I a rebel?" 

I sat down carefully a chair and looked around again, so that I may fix into my mind the scene to describe to Atrus later. The air was sweet and smelled of spring. 

"It even smells of dawn," I whispered. 

"What was that?" Aeriel inquired, now having moved into the kitchen that was painted in shades of crimson. She had sorted the food and now chopping some and throwing it into a large white pot. 

"Nothing. Just admiring the your home." 

Aeriel smiled at the comment and built a fire in the fireplace. She placed the pot in the fire and sat down across from me. "Hope you want stew." 

"I assume all is well?" I asked. 

Aeriel was about to answer, when Tab'r (whom I had forgotten up until this point) interrupted and said, "Very well." Aeriel glared at Tab'r who shook his head and mouthed, _No_. They both exchanged glances before looking at me suddenly, catching me staring at them. Aeriel forced another smile and said, "All is well" 

I stood up and wiped my palms on gown before stating, "What's going on here? You're both hiding something and I want to know what it is." 

Aeriel and Tab'r exchanged glances again. Aeriel replied, "Nothing is wrong and nothing is happening. Why do you ask?" 

"Because you're both acting very peculiar..." Silence was the only one who replied. 

"Very well. I have nothing more to say to you. I'll just be on my way home. I trust that after I have linked from here, you will properly hide my Book somewhere?" I turned towards my bag and began rummaging through it. Suddenly, fear pierced me like a knife. No, this can't be right. I KNOW that I grabbed it. No! It wasn't there! I had forgotten it! 


	3. Trapped...And A Fight

Body

**Chapter Three: Trapped...And A Fight**

****

****My Linking Book! I had completely forgotten it! I was so ecstatic about visiting my friends and family back here, I had totally forgot about it! Stupid! I smacked my forehead with the flat of palm. Aeriel and Tab'r just looked on, confusion clearly written across their faces. 

"What's wrong, Catherine?" Aeriel inquired, "You look like you've just been sentenced to the Wahrk Gallows." 

"My book," I whispered. 

"What about it?" Tab'r asked. 

"I forgot it! It must still be back in D'Ni!" I shrieked. Aeriel and Tab'r drew back quickly. I was never one to yell. I suppose I was always the calm one in my family. My sister did the yelling. 

"Sorry," I said, "I just panicked. Now I'm stuck here. Here! Of all places!" 

"What's wrong with being stuck here? We are!" Tab'r snarled, "Is there something wrong with the way we live or are we--" Tab'r suddenly stopped as Aeriel glared at him. 

"Well, if you don't come back won't Atrus come looking for you?" Aeriel asked. 

"Or will he let you stay here and rot as he almost did back on Riven? He thinks that he's so great just because he the last of an advanced bloodline! He's a fool and you're a fool to love him! In fact, you're any even bigger fool for choosing him when I had loved you all my life!" 

Tab'r was surprising me. His face was contorted with anger and his voice was full of poisonous hatred and, to my surprise, jealousy. For the first time, I realized that Tab'r didn't like Atrus. Suddenly, his anger was contagious. 

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU!" I yelled. I was shaking with anger. Normally, I don't yell when I get mad, but there's a first time fore everything. 

"Atrus had no choice! He was a prisoner on his own world also! He couldn't come and get me! The fault does _not _lie with him but Sirrus and Achenar! All because of our sons!" 

"Why were they so corrupted, Catherine? No Rivenese is so evil to trap their own parents! 'Tis the D'Ni blood that made them what they are! The D'Ni were and forever shall be a race of egotistical lowlifes who care _nothing _for any other species!" With that, Tab'r stormed out of Aeriel's house making sure to slam the door hard. 

That's when I realized I had lost one of my oldest friends. 

"I'm going to bed," I said to Aeriel, "Do you have an extra room?" 

Aeriel supplied me with blankets and pillows and directed me down a hall. It wasn't until I was almost asleep when I realized that I still hadn't figured out what they were hiding from me... 


	4. Over Breakfast

Body

**Chapter Four: Over Breakfast**

****

****I awoke the next morning with the fight from the previous night still fresh in my mind. While I was changing from my night gown into a fresh dress, a phrase from the fight suddenly surfaced. I had totally missed it due to my anger: _"You're an even bigger fool for choosing him while I've loved you all my life."_

__

__Loved...All his life... I didn't know what to do as I stood there remembering. Of course. It all made sense. Before Atrus had came Tab'r had always been there. He was constantly bringing me gifts for no reason and the constant flirting that I always thought was just a joke. How could I have not seen it? But I knew the answer to that one. I was so wrapped up in Gehn's writing guild, I barely had time for anything else. And when Atrus came...He made me see the truth of Gehn's writing. 

I shook my head to banish the thoughts of the fight and the times before the arrival of Atrus. It didn't matter whether Tab'r loved me or not, I loved _Atrus_ not Tab'r. And Tab'r will just have to learn to deal with that. I smiled with satisfaction at my decision. 

I finished getting dressed and began making my bed. When I knew I had remembered something while I was just drifting into sleep. But what was it? I shook my head again to clear my mind and try to remember. But no luck. I frowned and finished making the bed. 

I stepped into the kitchen with the smell of fresh _majorah _baking in the fire. Aeriel was already up and busy squeezing one the fruits, an orange one, into juice. I looked carefully at the fruit. It was not one that I had remembered. When I asked her what it was, she replied, "An orange." 

"I know the color. But what do you call it?" 

"An _orange._ The name is the color of the fruit. The juice is very good for you. Atrus planted it for us once. He said he was given the seed by a stranger from another world. I believe it was the one that freed him, freed you, freed the villagers and Moiety, and trapped Gehn. I'm not sure of his name. I never did catch it." 

I nodded, "Neither did I. I was only in contact with him twice. Before he let me go and after. And both were in time frames of around thirty seconds. Wait a minute! When was Atrus here long enough to plant a tree or bush, or whatever that orange or whatever it is?" 

Aeriel looked surprised, "Why, about six weeks ago. He was here for around a week. I thought you knew." 

I searched my memory frantically for a moment. Six weeks ago. Duration was about a week...That's when I got. 

"He said that he was going to unstable age called Selentic. Atrus lied to me!" I didn't mean to get so upset, but he had never lied to me. Never. And that bothered me. 

"Hush now, sister. You don't need to throw a fit. I'm sure he just, well. I don't know! When he comes back for you, you can ask about his visit yourself." 

I thought about that for a second and said, "I'll do that. So what's for breakfast?" 


End file.
